Newlands Cross Upgrade EIS - European Investment Bank

South Dublin County Council N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade
Environmental Impact Statement
Arup Consulting Engineers
had completely disintegrated when the site was last visited 4-5 years ago. There was no visible
trace in the overgrown ditch during the field inspection.
A third item of cultural heritage merit was identified during field inspection on the western
side of Newlands Cross, at the junction with Boot Road. The Veronica Guerin memorial
comprises a plaque set in an area of cobble-locking and planting (Plate 27).
All three items of cultural heritage interest lie within the landtake of the proposed upgrade
works.
Boundaries
All but one of the original townland boundaries along the route of the proposed upgrade
works were destroyed by previous works along the N7 road and the Belgard to Clondalkin
road in the later 20 th century and the residential, commercial and industrial development in the
area. The only surviving townland boundary runs along the north side of the garden associated
with Mooreenaruggan House, between Mooreenaruggan and Newlands townlands. The
boundary is lined by mature trees, including a stand of walnut trees and scots pine, now
incorporated into an area of young tree plantation (oak and sycamore).
No original walled boundaries were identified associated with Newlands Demesne or any of
the structures of architectural merit noted above in Section 12.3.1.1.
12.3.2 Archaeological Heritage
12.3.2.1 Background
Prehistoric Period
There are no archaeological sites of a prehistoric date recorded within the immediate vicinity
of the proposed road upgrade, although stray finds recovered in the townlands along the route
indicate activity during this period (Appendix A12.2). This is not unsurprising given the
proximity of the River Camac to the north and the important prehistoric landscape in the
foothills of the Dublin Mountains to the south. Rivers and their environs are considered to
have an intrinsically significant archaeological potential unless proved otherwise by
archaeological investigation. The archaeological record has shown that rivers have acted as a
focus of settlement and ritual activity and as a conduit for trade and communications through
all periods of human settlement.
The prehistoric monuments in the wider environs of the proposed road upgrade range from the
late Neolithic (c.2300–2000 BC) passage tombs on the peaks of the Tallaght and Saggart
Hills, groups of barrows and mounds on Athgoe Hill, Saggart Hill, Mountseskin and Lugg to
the Iron Age ceremonial henges of Athgoe and Lugg. The lower-lying lands around the hills
are particularly rich in remains of the Bronze Age (c. 2300–500 BC) (and indeed in
contemporary bronze artefacts, some of which have been recovered in the study area), and
undoubtedly housed the population that built and used the larger ceremonial and funerary sites
in the wider vicinity. As yet however, no prehistoric habitation sites have been identified
within the study area.
There is evidence in the vicinity of the study area for activity during the Iron Age (c. 500 BC–
AD 500). An archaeological complex at Ballymount Great (DU021:015), situated c.690m
southeast of the proposed road upgrade, was excavated prior to the construction of the
Western Parkway motorway (Stout 1982). The earliest feature was a large oval enclosure,
which originally had an outer earthen bank and inner fosse. The absence of a defensive
external fosse and the presence of an internal quarry ditch suggest a ritual purpose for the site.
It was suggested that the site was closely related to the barrow tradition and on the basis of
comparative archaeology a tentative early Iron Age date was suggested (Stout 1982).
Subsequent excavations in advance of the LUAS scheme took place from 1997 to 2000,
December 2007 Page 182